After months of bickering, rumors, and speculation, the Pittsburgh Steelers have finally traded Joey Porter Jr., with the Dallas Cowboys coming in and taking him off their hands. In exchange for Porter, the Steelers have received a 2028 second-round draft pick and a conditional 2027 sixth-round draft pick, which is a pretty good return considering the lack of leverage the team possessed.
Of course, the catch with the conditional pick is that something needs to happen in order for Pittsburgh to actually add it to its draft haul. According to reports, though, unless something goes completely awry, it sounds like the Steelers shouldn’t have to worry about the conditions of that pick being met.
Details on Conditional Pick in Joey Porter Jr. Trade Emerge
Throughout the offseason, Porter, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, made it clear that he was looking for a new deal from the Steelers. That never materialized, though, and with the Steelers having a history of refusing to negotiate contract extensions during the regular season, it seemed like Porter was going to have to play out the final year of his current deal.
In a twist, Porter has not suited up yet this season, with the official reasoning being that he is dealing with a back injury. Obviously, there are quite a few signs that indicate his unhappiness with his contract situation was the main reason for his refusal to suit up, especially with rumors indicating he could now suit up for the Cowboys in Week 4.
While it would sting to see Porter immediately play for Dallas after essentially refusing to suit up for Pittsburgh this season, the team is actually going to want to see the talented cornerback play for his new team. That’s because the condition of the aforementioned 2027 sixth-round pick is that Porter needs to be active for at least two of the Cowboys’ games this season, so even if he doesn’t play in Week 4, it shouldn’t take long for him to meet that condition.
“The 2027 6th-round pick the Cowboys are sending to the Steelers is conditional, as I reported last night,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz shared in a post on X. My understanding is the condition is tied to Joey Porter Jr. being active for at least 2 games with Dallas, a threshold that should be reached fairly quickly with JPJ now in town.
Steelers Turn Attention to Week 4 After Ending Their Joey Porter Jr. Saga
Even without the sixth-round pick, getting a second-round pick (albeit one in the 2028 NFL Draft) is a good piece of business for a disgruntled cornerback who wasn’t playing and is in the final year of his contract. The condition of the sixth-round pick could somehow not be met, and this would still be a good trade for the Steelers.
Now that Porter is officially gone, Pittsburgh will continue to lean on Asante Samuel Jr. and Jamel Dean as its starting cornerbacks, with Jalen Ramsey, Brandin Echols, and Daylen Everette also factoring into the mix. The Steelers will have to immediately shift their attention, though, as they will kick off Week 4 of the 2026 campaign with a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
New Detail Emerges in Steelers-Cowboys Joey Porter Jr. Trade